November 28th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) has urged South Sudan leaders to resolve the outstanding issues before the end of the pre-transitional period which would usher in a unity government of 36-months.
South Sudan government and opposition groups signed a revitalized peace agreement over a year ago to end the ongoing civil war. The agreement obliged the parties to form a unity government in May 2019 but because most critical tasks needed in place by end of the first 8-months were not ready.
The pre-transitional period has since been extended each time the previous one ended.
Speaking during the 11th R- JMEC meeting in Juba on Wednesday, interim chairman of the peace monitoring body, Lt. Gen. Augostino Njoroge, appealed to the South Sudan parties to resolve all the outstanding issues before the end of the pre-transitional period in February next year.
“I am pleased to note that the IGAD Special Envoy has been directed to facilitate a meeting of the Parties to resolve the issue of the number of states and their boundaries, and any other outstanding issue pertaining to the establishment of the R-TGoNU. I am pleased to say that the IGAD Special Envoy is seized of this matter and has made plans to hold these meetings,” Njoroge said.
“I appeal to the parties to compromise and resolve all the outstanding issues,” he added.
The 2018 peace agreement provided for the unification of the rival forces for South Sudan to have a unified army, police and National Security Services (NSS).
The parties are also required to sit and determine the number and boundaries of the states.
Njoroge said the parties should make sure that all the pre-transitional tasks are all resolved and implemented during the pre-transitional period to avoid overloading of the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) with extra work.
“We must all take steps to ensure that the R-TGONU, once formed, is inclusive, effective, and will focus solely on full implementation of the Transitional Tasks of the Agreement, rather than be distracted by unaccomplished tasks of the Pre-Transitional period,” he said.
Njoroge added that he was “pleased to note that the Parties agreement on endorsing the 100 days extension was reached without objection and Addis Ababa, and the leaders at the Tripartite meeting in Entebbe.
“As we move forward, I urge that all political leaders in South Sudan follow this exemplary how of flexibility and compromise, both of which are critical to the successful implementation of the peace agreement.”
